Stack protector for warships



' March 11,1 193:.

I w. E. DuRadRow STACK PROTECTOR FOR IARSHIPS 2 Shoots-Shoot 1 Filed June 12, 1930 Patented Mar. 17, 1931 WILLIAM E. DUEBOROW, OF COLUMBIA, PENNSYLVANIA STACK PROTECTOR FOR WARSI-IIPS Application filed June 12, 1930. Serial No. 460;119.

This invention relates to war ships and particularly to means for armoring or protecting the stack of the warship against bombs.

Thegeneral object of this invention is to provide means for protecting a war vessel from the efiects of bombs dropped on to or into the smoke stack of the vessel from flyingmachine, and more specifically to provide means for preventing a bomb dropped into the smoke stack from passing into the interior portions of the vessel and preventing the fragments of a bomb, inflammable materials and the like from passing into the interior of a vessel. p

A further object is to provide a structure which will constitute an armored turret at the base of the smoke stack at its junction with'the armored deck which will prevent bombs or other projectiles dropped from an airship from entering the vessel either when they aredroppedstraight downward or discharged downward atan angle to the vertical.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. v

My invention is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical'sectional view of a protective smoke stack constructed in accordance with my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1; I

Figure 3 is a vertical section of another form of protective smoke stack; i

Figure 4 is a transverse section therethrough.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 2, 1O designates anupper section of a smoke stack such as is used on war shipsand 11 the lower section of the stack which extends upward from the furnaces to the armored deck 12. This lower section 11 is connected to the armored deck by the usual packing or fastening ring 13 or any other suitable means. The upper end of the lower section of the stack and the lower end of the upper section of the stack are spaced from each other any desired distance, as forinstance, a distance of ten feet and riveted or otherwise attached to the armored deck 12 is the cylindrical turret 14 which may be made of any desired thick ness as for instance one foot of armored plate or other metal or combinations of metal. The upper stack section 10 is connected to the turret 14 by means of the packing or fasten ing ring 15.

This turret 14 extends upward from the ar mored deck as illustrated in Figure 1 con centrically to the lower section 11 bf the stack and spaced therefrom and then extends inward to the lower end of the upper section 10 0f the stack to which it is connected by the packing ring 15 or in any other suitable manner.

Disposed withinthe turret 14 and approxL mately half way between the lower end of the upper section 10 and the upper end of the lower section 11 of the stack is a baflle plate or disk of armor steel designated 16 which may have any desired thickness, as for instance, the thickness of one foot. The diameter of this disk is less than the interior diameter of the turret 14, but considerably greater than the diameter of the stack sections. This disk is supported in any suitable manner, as for instance, by the vertical beams 17 arranged at intervals around the opening of the stack and extending upward from and being attached to the armored deck 12 and to the disk 16.

Disposed between the disk 16 and the upper end of the turret 14 are the vertically extending beams 18 preferably disposed above the beams 17. The beams 17 and 18 may have any suitable shape, but I have shown them as I beams. The beams are arranged with their webs radial to the center of the stack and turret. These beams 18 may be connected by transverse girders atany desired point and support the horizontally disposed steel plates 19 which preferably will have a thickness of about one inch and a width equal to the width of the beams 18 so as to form a grid. These plates 19 may be intersected by vertical plates if desired so that the grid will be in the form of a lattice work giving ample space for the discharge of smoke, but securing, because of the fact that the plates are disposed in a horizontal position, great resistance to shell or bomb fragments discharged laterally toward this grid or screen by the explosion of a bomb.

The beam 17 may also be provided with these plates 19, though the necessity of these plates 19 between the beams 17 is not as great as it is between the beams 18. Tie girders 20 extend radially from the disk 16 to the turret and are riveted to the armor plate 16 and to the turret or otherwise connected thereto.

Extending upwardfrom the deck 12 exterior to the vertical beams 17 is a cylindrical baffle plate 21. This extends approximately half way of the distance between the deck 12 and the disk 16 and there engages with bracing girders 22-, 23, and 24 which extend from the beam 17 outward to the wall of the turret and are riveted or otherwise engaged with the wall 21 which at its base is also riveted or welded to the deck 12. 7

Supported upon beams 25 extending upward from the level of the braces22, 23 and 24, to the upper faceof and engaged with the disk 16 is the cylindrical wall 26of armor plate. The wall 21 and the wall 26are preferably of armor steel and preferably will be about four inches thick.

It will be seen that with this construction, smoke and other products of combustion pass up through the lower section of the stack and then laterally between the supporting beams 17 and above the baffle plate 21,-then downward beneath the baffle plate 26, then upward between the wall 26 and turret, then between the plates 19 and so on up into the upper section of the stack. I The cross-sectional area of the passage formed for the discharge of products of combustion is, of course, at least equal tothe cross-sectional area of the stack so that there will be practically no impediment to the draft. Ifbombs are dropped. either vertically or at an angle into or on to the stack, the .bombs will burst against the steel disk 16 and the fragments of the bomb will be discharged laterally.

The plates 19 with the beams 18 willpreventany great number of these fragments passing beyond this point, but if any fragments of bombs should pass outward, they will be prevented from passing into the lower section of the stack by the walls 21 and. '26. This will also prevent any corrosive liquids or incendiary materials from passing down into the stackand so into the interior of the Vessel. If the projectiles should strike the stack at an angle, especially at the junction of the stack with the turret, the bombs or projectiles will strike on the disk 16 and thus the projectiles .or other disintegration products will not enter the vessel.

In Figures 3 and 4 1 illustrate another form of protective stack having the same purpose as the form shown in Figure 1 but in which the 'upperand lower sections of the stack are offset with relation to each other, the

upper section of the stack being surrounded by an armored turret. In these figures, 10 indicates the upper section of the stack and 11*, the lower section of the stack. The lower section passes up through the armored deck 12 and is connected thereto in any suitable manner. The upper section 1O rests at its lower end upon the armored deck 12 and is connected thereto in any suitable manner as for instance by the packing and fastening ring 27. The turret 28 is, of course, of armor plate or steel and may have any desired thickness, as for instance, the thickness of one foot. The stack 10 at its junction with the turret is connected thereto by a packing and fastening ring 29 or in any other suitable manner. This stack 1O at its lower end is provided with openings of proper size and designated 30 whereby products of combustion can enter the lower end of the section 10*.

Extending downward from the top of the turret 28 adjacent the stack 10 but spaced therefrom is a baflie wall 31 which extends diametrically across the turret, the turret being preferably circular in form. This baflie wall is connected in any suitable manner to the turret, extends approximately half way down the depth of the turret and is then supported by beams 32.

Extending upward from the armored deck between the plane of the wall 31 and the section 11 of the stack is the second bafiie wall 33. These baflie walls may have any-desired thickness as for instance a thickness of four inches. Extending upward fromv the baffle wall 33 to the top of the turret are beams 34 spaced apart at intervals. Connecting the top of the wall 33 with the bottom of the wall 31 are transverse, girders or braces 35. The space between these braces 35 is intersected by intersecting plates 36 of the same form as the plates 19 in Figure 1 forming a grid of plates disposed in a vertical plane. A grid formedof-plates 36 is also used between the beams 34 and these plates 36 are also used between the beams 32. Girders 37 extend from the wall 33 outward to the wall of the turret and are riveted or otherwise connected at their ends to the wall 33 and to the turret in any suitable manner.

It will be seen that with this construction, smoke or other products of combustionpassing upward through the lowersection of the stack will pass laterally outward between the beams 34, then downward between the beams 35, then laterally outward between the beams 32 and then into the upper section of the stack through the openings 30 and then out and that complete protection is aflorded against the entrance of bomb fragments, corrosive or incendiary liquids or gases so that the interior of the vessel is fully protected whether the bombbe dropped vertically into the stack section 10 or strikes the stack section 1O at an, angle particularly at the oint 29 and passes downward into the interior of the turret. In any case, the bomb will explode and strike the armored deck of the vessel but the fragments of the bomb will be restrained from entering the interior of the vessel through the lower stack section. It will be understood, of course, that the stack section 11 and the stack section 10 in completed ships may be an old stack section while the upper section of the stack is either raised and mounted above the plate 16 in F igure 1 or shifted laterally and mounted upon the deck as shown in Figure 3. In both cases, complete protection is afi'orded to the base portion of the upper stack section and the upper section may be pierced by projectiles or bombs or blown away completely without affecting the action of the lower stack sections.

Preferably the inside surfaces of the turret, the baffle walls and plates, and if desired the stack itself may be protected from the corrosive action of the smoke by a suitable paint or by a coating with asbestos over which is placed a sheet iron covering. The asbestos also tends to prevent undue heating of the turrets. I have not illustrated this as it is an obvious construction. It will be noted that the turret in Figure 1 forms part of the sta ckin a sense that the upper section of the stack rests upon the top of the turret. Thus theupper section of the stack may be made shorter than would be the case in Figure 3.

IVhile I have illustrated certain details of construction and arrangements of parts, it will be understood that these might be varied in many ways and that I do not wish to be limited to the details whereby the baflle walls are braced to the walls of the turret from the deck or supported from the deck or to the particular form of the intersecting plates which act to impede or prevent the discharge of fragments into the interior of the turret. It will, of course, be understood that the turrets are fastened to the armored deck in such a manner as to form a smoke-tight joint, as for instance, by welding the turret to the armored deck with gasket-s between the turret and the deck. I have not attempted to show such means as various means might be used and be entirely obvious to any naval constructor. It will, of course, be understood that the beams or girders used may have any desired shape in cross section and may have cross tie rods or cross tie plates on one or both faces as is common practice in girders and beams used for such structures as this. It will be noted that the vertical beams 18 not only hold the grid formed by the plates 19 but also act as supporting beams for the top wall of the turret and the stack section resting on the turret. It will be noted that the bafiies 21 and 26 and 31 and 33 in each case overlap each other by several inches, thus providing the maximum protection against the inlet of bomb fragments and also allows proper engagement with the girder members to reinforce the battles against vibrational shocks or other stresses.

Obviously while this structure is particularly designed for protecting the vessel from airship bombs, it will also protect the vessel from ordinary projectiles or other flying torpedocs and prevent the stack being pierced at the junction of the stack with the turret.

I claim I. In a vessel having a protective deck, a stack section extending upward through the vessel to the deck, a second stack section spaced from the first stack section, an armored turret into which the upper and lower sec tions open and battle means within the turret preventing the passage of bomb fragments discharged through the upper section of the stack from entering the lower section of the stack.

2. A ship having a protective deck, a turret carried by the deck, a stack section extending upward through the deck and into the turret, a stack section extending downward from the turret, and baths element-s disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections.

3. A ship having a protective deck, a turret carried by the deck. a stack section extending upward through the deck and into the turret, a stack section extending downward from the turret, and bafiie elements disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections, and including bafiie walls offset with relation to each other and defining a circuitous smoke passage.

4-. A ship having a protective deck, a turret carried by the deck. a stack section extending upward through the deck and into the turret, a stack section extending downward from the turret, battle elements disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections and including bafiie walls offset with relation to each other and defining a circuitous smoke passage, and grid-like elements formed of spaced plates having their faces disposed parallel to the axis of that portion of the passage wherein the plates are disposed.

5. A ship having a protective deck, an arinored turret carried by the deck, a stack sectionextending upward through the deck and into the turret, a stack section extending downward from the turret, and bafile elements disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections within the turret including horizontally and vertically disposed bafile members defining the circuitous passage connecting the stack sections, said passage being intersected at intervals by grid-like bafile elements.

6. A ship having a protective deck, an armored turret carried by the deck, a stack section extending upward through the deck and into the turret, a stack section extending downward from the turret, bailie walls offset with relation to each other and disposed between the stack sections and within the turret, braces supporting said'baflie Walls, the bafile walls definlng a circuitous passage connecting the adjacent ends of the stack sections,

and grid-like elements disposed in said passage and consisting of a supporting framework and spaced plates disposed with their faces parallel to the axis of that portion of the passage wherein the plates are disposed.

7. In a vessel, a lower stack section, an upper stack section, an armored element disposed below the" upper stack section and adapted to receive the impact of a bomb and bafiie walls disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections and connected to the turret, the walls being offset with relation to each other to define a circuitous passage, and grid-like battle elements disposed in said passage.

8. A ship having a protective deck, a lower stack section opening through the deck, a turret mounted upon the deck and sur-' rounding the opening in the lower stack section, an upper stack section entering said turret, a batlie plate extending through the turret in spaced relation to the upper end of the lower stack section and the lower end of the upper stack section, beams supporting said baflle plate at intervals, an open-work grid disposed between said beams above the horizontal ba'lile plate, and baffle walls disposed concentrically to the lower section of the stack, the walls being disposed in off-set relation, one of said walls extending upward from the deck, the other extending downward from the horizontal baffle plate, and beams supporting said walls from theturret.

9. A ship having a protective deck, the lower stack section extending upwardly through the deck, an armored turret mounted on the deck and surrounding the opening in the lower stack section, another stack section extending downward into the opening of the turret, an armored bafi'ile disk having a diameter greater than that of the stack sections, but less than that of the turret and disposed between the adjacent ends of the stack sections, means connected to the deck supporting said battle plate, beams extending upward from said plate to the turret, metallic grids carried by said beams between the plate and thetop of the turret, radially offset bafiie walls, one extending downward from the plate and the other upward from the deck and spaced from each other, and bracing means supporting said walls.

. 10. A ship having a protective deck, the lower stack sect-ion extending upward through the deck, an armored turret mounted on the deck and surrounding the opening in the lower stack section, an upper stack section extending downward to the turret and opening through the top thereof, a baflie plate disposed within the turret midway between the two sections and having a diameter less than that of the turret and greater than that of the stack sections, means supporting the baffle plate from the deck, beams extending upward from the batlie plate to the top of the turret, the horizontally and vertically disposed intersecting plates mounted between said beams and constituting a grid, a bafile wall extending downward from the margin of the plate, an inner baffle wall extending upwai :1 from the deck, beams and girders supporting said baffle walls with relation to the turretand deck, and radial beams extending outward from the plate to the wall of the turret.

11. A ship having a protective deck, a lower smoke stack section extending upward through the deck, an upper stack section restat its lower end upon said deck and having lateral openings, an armored turret surrounding the lowcr end of the upper stack section and into which the lower stack section discharges, the turret resting upon the deck and offset baffle walls disposed transversely across the turret between the upper end of the lower stack section andthe lower end of the upper stack section,,and a grid extending between the adjacent ends of the bafile walls.

In testimony whereof'I hereunto aflix my signature.

WVILLIAM E. DURBOROW. 

